Nalu Fluff Week 2017: Within the Law
by ImpracticalDemon
Summary: A collection of short stories and drabbles for Nalu Fluff Week 2017. I will not be completing all prompts, unfortunately. The prompts covered so far are Day 2 (Rain), Day 3 (Vacation reversed and changed to Work), and a wee bit of Day 4 (Fashion). Chapter 1 features Lucy as an aspiring young lawyers and Natsu as - well, you'll find out! Chapters 2 and 3 cover the others.
1. Sunshine and Rain

**Author's Note:**

This story - or perhaps story introduction, I'm not sure - was written for **Nalu Fluff Week 2017**.

Once again, I'm too behind on other stories to be able to complete all the prompts for this ship week, but I did want to contribute at least a little.

The main prompt for this story is "Rain" (the Day 2 prompt). I am also throwing in the Day 3 prompt, converted from "Vacation" to "Work", and a smidgen of the Day 4 prompt "Fashion". I haven't yet decided what else I may do for this ship week but you can probably look for a couple more pieces. Whether they'll be on time or not is hard to say. Then again, "a fanfiction author is never late, nor is she early, she publishes precisely when she means to." Thank you, Gandalf (and Tolkien, I suppose).

I hope that you enjoy the following shenanigans!

~ _Impracticaldemon_

* * *

 **Sunshine in the Rain**

* * *

Law school was tough—it turned out that Professor Porlyusica's class on Trusts was just as bad as they'd told her—but this was infinitely worse. Here she was in downtown Magnolia, wearing her best—and currently only—suit, a tailored white blouse, sheer nylons and conservative dark heels. And she was lost. Not very lost, just momentarily stymied. Any one of the three mega-towers in with entrances onto the plaza looked like it could house the prestigious Makarov & Vermilion law firm that had granted her this precious and not-to-be-missed interview for a summer student's position.

Unfortunately, a small contretemps at a subway turnstile involving a little white dog, a oddly bluish-grey cat with a green bandanna for a collar, and a guy rocking a great suit and neon pink hair, had caused Lucy to drop the paper with the firm's street address. The guy had been apologetic, sort of—he'd viewed the whole thing as more funny than serious. Then he'd told the animals to meet him at the 'usual place' and off they'd trotted without further fuss. It had been a little weird. The man looked like he worked at some high-powered job—Lucy had assumed that the animals weren't his.

"Don't worry," pink-hair-great-suit had told her, "you didn't hurt Happy or Plue."

That hadn't been Lucy biggest concern, but she'd murmured something appropriate and gotten a wide grin in return. She'd even returned the guy's wave as he rushed off—though whether to his job or to rendez-vous with his pets was unclear. He wasn't to be seen getting on the subway, in any event.

"There's a map in the lobby if you need one," said a voice behind her just then, making her jump.

"Um, yes, thank you. I guess I'll just go take a look." In fact, Lucy was having a tough time convincing herself to go into any of the buildings. Unfortunately, the person behind her probably worked in one of the towers and would find it really strange if she just went on standing rooted to the pavement.

"Oh hey! I just realized it's you! Sorry again about earlier…"

Great. It was the pink-haired guy who'd seen her almost fall on her butt in the subway station. He had a nice voice, Lucy thought—not too light, but bright and cheerful without being sharp or nasal. A half-turn confirmed her first impression of the suit. It fit him too well not to have been either custom-made or at least tailored by somebody who knew exactly how to accommodate square shoulders, a trim waist and lean, narrow hips. _Okay, just stop that right now._

Lucy shook her head at herself; it was really rare for her to notice somebody's looks that much before getting to know them. Mostly because she made a point of _not_ noticing—man, woman, whatever… nobody and nothing was going to get in the way of proving to her dad that she didn't need his money, his connections, or him in order to be successful at what she wanted out of life. His comment had been dismissive, as usual: "Lucy, I've got no problem with paying for law school, but remember that Heartfilias _hire_ lawyers—we don't _become_ lawyers."

He didn't understand that once she'd learned all the tricks of the trade from the pros, she was going to turn around and use them working for the people who _really_ needed lawyers—small businesses, new entrepreneurs, creative people with a dream… Her family's company swallowed them up and spat them out because they couldn't afford a professional who could read the footnotes to the fine print.

There was a polite cough, and the man beside her surprised Lucy by saying, "You're looking for Fairy Tail, right?"

"What—well… yes, actually. And you are?" Lucy waited politely for the stranger to respond. She was suddenly on high alert. Only lawyers called M&V 'Fairy Tail'. (Of course, they were probably the only ones who _cared_ , but still… it was just one of those things that you learned: the names of the judges of the Supreme Court, the fact that most modern consumer protection law could be traced back to tainted ginger beer, and the _real_ name of M&V.)

"Me? Oh right—I was in a rush before—Natsu Dragneel." He held out a strong, blunt-fingered hand and smiled encouragingly.

 _That's one hell of a smile_ , thought Lucy, trying not to stare. It really stood out in his tanned, olive-toned face. Fortunately, she was in interview mode and she automatically shook his hand—warm, but pleasantly dry—and responded: "Lucy Heartfilia. And my interview's in ten minutes, so…"

"Oh that's right!" Natsu forgot to let go of her hand, and Lucy eyed him with a sinking suspicion that she wasn't going to like what she heard next. "You're the one all the fuss is about." He held up the bag he had in one hand. "Special treats for the meeting—um, interview. They're pretty excited about having you join the firm."

"Because of the connection to Heartfilia Enterprises?" asked Lucy bluntly.

"Well, yeah… sort of?" Natsu looked puzzled, and then realized that he was still holding Lucy's hand. He returned it to her with a final squeeze and without any noticeable embarrassment.

Lucy tried to swallow her disappointment. They were giving her this interview because of her family connections, not because of all her hard work over the last year and a half. As if in response to her suddenly dark mood, the early spring sunshine was blotted out by a large, heavy-looking cloud. It reminded Lucy of a star destroyer from Star Wars—and every bit as ominous as one of those gigantic, triangular ships had ever looked to a fleeing Rebel cruiser. A drop hit the tip of Lucy's nose and a change in the breeze brought the smell of incipient rain. _Petrichor_ , thought Lucy. _The smell of rain—though really it's the smell of plants getting ready for rain._

"I really should get going—" Lucy tried again.

"You know, that cloud looks exactly like a Star Wars battle ship—a star destroyer." Natsu was now staring up at the cloud above them. Then he looked down at Lucy and blinked. "Uh, sorry… old sci-fi stuff is a big hobby for me."

"Yeah?" Lucy perked up a little. She was trying not to think about the umbrella she'd left at home because it had been so _sunny_ earlier. Another drop hit her and she noticed that the plaza was emptying fast.

"Oh, sure! How about you?"

Lucy didn't know quite what to say. Natsu—because 'Mr. Dragneel' didn't suit him in the slightest—seemed perfectly prepared to stand there and chat, while the heavens were clearly getting ready for the opening act of what now looked like a major storm. She shouldn't have skipped the weather report this morning.

"Well, actually, um, Natsu—I mean, yes I like some of the old TV shows and movies too, but—"

Lucy was forcibly interrupted by a combination of drenching rain and Natsu grabbing her hand and dragging her off at a sprint, oblivious to her heels and demure-but-narrow business skirt. Apparently she should have acted on her instincts sooner and gotten under shelter right away. She would have had to forcibly ditch her new acquaintance, however.

Moments later, they stood panting in the lobby of the smallest of the office towers—or rather, Lucy stood panting while her companion went back to the door to look anxiously out at the rain.

"You know," he said over his shoulder to Lucy, "you really should've come in out of the rain _before_ it started. Couldn't you smell it?"

Lucy finally snapped. To heck with trying to be polite!

"Yes, I _could_ smell it, _Mr. Dragneel_ , but every time I tried to get you to move, you just, just _ignored_ me!"

There was a pause while Natsu processed Lucy's irritation. Then—why was she not surprised?—he grinned, and used his hands to comb some of the water out of his cotton candy hair. The result was a spiky, yet ridiculously perfect mess.

"Yeah, I guess I might have—I was keeping an eye out for Happy and Plue. Sorry about that. No harm done though, right? I mean, at least you're in the right building now, and it's just rain." He caught Lucy's expression and laughed sheepishly. "Well, yeah, okay a _lot_ of rain. Heavy rain, you might say. But you look fine, really."

Lucy decided that they had bonded enough over the star destroyer cloud for her to get out her compact and do a quick check of her face and hair in front of him—something that normally she would never do. Thankfully, she did look okay, courtesy of a well-pinned bun and minimal, but expensive, cosmetics. On the other hand... She barely repressed a yelp at the jagged tear in her stocking. She restrained herself from shaking Natsu for having dragged her along at such a pace, and tried to make him pay attention to her anxiety over the time.

"Mr. Dragneel—Natsu. I would like to be on time for my appointment. I have three minutes to get there. Your pets appear to be quite good at looking after themselves. I expect that they are waiting out the rain under cover somewhere. Please tell me where to go."

With an abrupt change of demeanor, Natsu gave her a quick nod.

"You're right, my bad. It's just that I'm watching Plue for a friend, and I kind of had to sneak away from work to let him out for a bit and, well—come with me."

With impeccable manners, he swept her towards a bank of lifts, waving at a sleepy-looking security guard whom Lucy hadn't even noticed. Lucy thought she saw a look of apprehension flit across Natsu's face as the lift doors closed behind them and he selected one of the upper floors. What was that about?

When they stepped out at the thirty-second floor, scant seconds later, Natsu turned and leaned heavily against the marble-faced wall. Despite now being extremely worried about the time—even to the exclusion of fretting over her torn stocking—Lucy paused to see if she could help. The rain was now pounding against the windows, all but drowning out the inevitable soft music of the floor's tastefully neutral lobby area.

"Um, Natsu?" Only years of controlling her anxiety around her father allowed Lucy to ignore her damp, less-than-pristine appearance, the fact that she was late for an interview for her dream job, and the way that the storm outside was competing with Elton John for her attention. (Why Elton John? And why the Musack version? Did it really need to be even slower and sappier than it already was? Plus, the song was older than she was and she probably knew it better than Elton at this point, courtesy of a thousand upscale office tower lobbies just like this one.)

"… Sorry…" Natsu looked positively ill. He waved a hand at her feebly. "… 'S'why I usually take the stairs."

"To the thirty-second floor?!" asked Lucy, appalled. Then again, he did seem to be in very good shape. Maybe this was why.

"Oh, don't worry about Natsu, Ms. Heartfilia," said a distinctly amused male voice from behind her. "He's terrible with elevators. And cars. And boats, trains, trams, pony-wagons, children's pedal toys—"

"Shut up, Gray," growled Natsu. His voice was still distinctly rough around the edges.

The man who had come into the lobby looked to be about Natsu's age—maybe a year or two older than Lucy. She was surprised that he wasn't wearing his suit jacket, since most city lawyers she'd met over the years wouldn't leave their office without one. Still, the icy blue tones of his slim-fit shirt worked just fine with his dark hair and eyes. _Again with the personal appearances_ , she sighed. _What is with me today?_

"Are you really going to be alright, Natsu?" For some reason, Lucy found that she already missed the pink-haired guy's slightly overwhelming smile.

"Yeah," said Natsu. This time he managed a slightly happier expression.

"Yeah, he's okay, I promise," said his colleague, at almost exactly the same time. He still looked like he was laughing at Natsu, but his tone indicated that he had answered seriously. "I'm Gray, by the way—Gray Fullbuster. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Heartfilia."

They shook hands, and Lucy found Gray's grip to be firm and dry like Natsu's—but cool instead of warm. It was an odd sensation, in fact.

"Lucy's fine, Mr. Fullbuster."

"Sure—just call me Gray, then. I hope Natsu met you like he was supposed to? We tend to find people standing outside in the plaza looking confused… Anyway, Natsu volunteered to leave early to find you, so you could get inside before the rain hit." Gray quirked an eyebrow, somehow sensing that something was up. "Was there a problem?"

Lucy froze. _He was supposed to meet me and bring me straight here?_ Her mind quickly ran through images of the collision with Plue and Happy at the turnstile, followed by Natsu running off to somewhere while she boarded the subway, followed by Natsu looking for his pets while the clouds rolled in… and then dragging her willy-nilly into the building _after_ the downpour started. She glanced out the window at the wind-lashed rain and then momentarily at Natsu, who was now leaning more casually against the wall, his hands shoved deep into his pockets and an irrepressible smile at the corners of his lips.

"Actually, everything was just fine," said Lucy, lying through her teeth for no discernible reason.

Natsu looked surprised and then grinned. Lucy blinked. How did he do that? For just a moment, it was as if the rain had stopped and the sun had come out. _I'm living a cliché_ , she thought, rolling her eyes at her own sentimentality. She decided to make a start on appearing professional.

"I'm ready whenever you are," she told Gray. She'd just have to ignore the stocking.

"I'm good to go, too," added Natsu.

Lucy looked between them in surprise. She hadn't expected a job interview to include more than one junior associate, and Natsu and Gray just couldn't be that long out of law school. Gray's lips quirked.

"We've been working here for years, Lucy—only our degrees are kind of new. I'm the head of our forensic law and tax services, and your cover letter mentioned you had some interest in learning current methods for tracking multi-layered companies and complex transactions." Gray paused, then shook his head. "And Pinky over there"—he ignored an obviously automatic "hey" from Natsu—"believe it or not, is the head of our corporate and securities law group. Basically, if you're serious about the kind of law you have in mind, you'll be working with us—mostly Natsu."

Natsu finally pried himself off the wall. With a total disregard for personal boundaries, he walked over and gave Lucy a short, one-armed hug.

"It'll be great!" he assured her, beaming.

Lucy just nodded. But when she sat down for her actual interview, which was conducted by the famous Makarov Dreyar himself and his equally well-known protégée, Erza Scarlet, her heart wasn't hammering against her ribs the way it usually did during important interviews. Even her stomach butterflies had faded substantially. Strangest of all, the storm had abruptly blown itself out, and the sun was shining. All she needed was twittering bluebirds to complete the scene.

 _Oh well,_ Lucy thought, resigned. _At least it's a_ good _cliché_.

* * *

 **[END]**

* * *

 **A/Note:** Thanks for reading! All comments and reviews are much appreciated, as are likes, kudos, reblogs and whatever other fine method of communication is provided by your platform of choice.

 _~ Impracticaldemon_


	2. Friend or Foe?

**Author's Note:**

Chapter 2 of **_Within the Law_** is based on the Day 4 prompt "History", with several nods to the Day 1 prompt "Soulmates".

I'd like to thank everyone who is reading, following and liking this story so far, with special thanks to those who have taken a moment to drop me a line to tell me what they think of the story. I've been seeing more and more readers on my notifications recently, and it means a lot to me.

 _~ Impracticaldemon_

 **Note:** Confession time ~ I do have a law degree and practiced law in a large firm for just over two years after finishing law school. I apologize in advance for the more obscure references (such as the ginger beer bottle case mentioned in Chapter 1 - modern consumer law and the basics of "duty of care" do still rely on that case, if you scratch the surface hard enough). I practice law in Canada, which means primarily "common law" - that is, law based on both legislation and the decisions of the courts, together with the concept of "equity". Being a lawyer works quite differently, in many respects, in "civil law" jurisdictions, such as Québec (in Canada) and most of Europe.

* * *

 **Chapter 2** — **Friend or Foe?  
Prompt: History**

* * *

 **I—Scrutiny**

* * *

The interview did not go at all as Lucy expected. For one thing, it was a great deal more informal than any interview she'd ever had for a job (other than one for a paper route that her father wouldn't let her keep). The real shock, however, was finding out that the law firm of Makarov & Vermilion—known to lawyers as Fairy Tail—had a history with her family.

The room was more or less what she had envisioned—corporate-Fiore standard boardroom with an oval table, big comfortable chairs, and fully updated with the newest in lacrima technology. The artwork was a little unusual, and appeared to have been contributed by various members of the firm, since there wasn't any cohesion or similarity between the pieces that she could make out. Lucy couldn't help but glance at Natsu when her eyes caught what appeared to be an original Star Wars movie poster in all its kitschy, late- seventies glory mounted in a place of honour on one wall. Natsu gave her two thumbs up, apparently aware of her interest— _in the poster_ —and Lucy found herself smiling.

"That's the slightly more common version, of course," he stage whispered to her as she sat down in her designated spot. "But I have the Type A poster at home."

Lucy had no idea what he was talking about; apparently Natsu was an even bigger geek than she was. Also… _was that a pick-up line?_ Gray either shared her concern or saw her expression. He punched Natsu none-too-lightly on the shoulder.

"Seriously, Pepto B? Lucy's here for a job interview and you sound like some kind of nerdy pick-up artist."

"What the hell, Gray?! I just thought she'd like to know—I mean _she_ can recognize an Imperial Destroyer-class capital ship when she sees one!"

"So could anyone who's known you for at least five minutes," argued Gray, unconsciously pushing back his sleeves. His pale blue shirt was now unbuttoned most of the way down his chest, revealing a stylized silver sword on a matching chain around his neck—and some very nice muscle, and part of a dark blue tattoo.

Lucy saw Erza Scarlet, the firm's youngest-ever managing partner start to tense at the childish behaviour. She leaned forward, but Makarov Dreyar, the firm's senior partner, shook his head at her slightly, and Ms. Scarlet sighed but didn't intervene. Lucy wondered just how often this kind of thing went on around Fairy Tail. Were they at least more professional around clients? And did their lead forensic specialist really need to show off his chest like that? Lucy found herself looking back at Natsu in the hope that maybe this was a common habit for Fairy Tail guys. _Hope?! Did I really just think that? Ugh! This is getting out of hand._

Ignoring Ms. Scarlet's glare, Natsu poked Gray in the chest with a forefinger. It didn't look like much, but Gray almost fell out of his chair.

"Hah!" crowed Natsu. "Shows what you know, Stripper! Lucy _hadn't_ known me for five minutes yet!" He beamed at Lucy, who once again felt like a deer caught in particularly attractive headlights. She scrambled to get her wits together, her task made harder as Natsu reached up and loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar. Mercifully, he stopped with just one button.

"… I guess not," she ventured. "At least, I know it wasn't for very long."

Gray leaned forward toward Natsu with a predatory smirk. "Thought so. You didn't go fetch Lucy like you were supposed to, did you? I'll bet you ran home to let Plue out, set Happy to keep an eye on him, and then—let's see—you had to rush back here because you can't stand riding the subway. You know, I thought it was strange that Lucy got caught in the rain."

Lucy felt a blush starting—why _had_ she lied to cover up for Natsu? Then she discovered that nobody else seemed especially upset, although Ms. Scarlet was obviously irritated.

"And which great detective are you today, Ice Cube Brain, Poirot or Holmes?" Natsu rolled his eyes. "I mean for crying out loud, Ice Princess, don't you—"

"That's _enough_!" Ms. Scarlet's hand smacked the table, and Lucy jumped right along with the guys. "Natsu—we'll have to have another chat about your billable hours later today. Gray, put your shirt back on and stop baiting Natsu."

 _Wait, what?_ Lucy stared at Gray, whose expensive broadcloth shirt was hanging neatly over the back of his chair. _What the hell?_

Okay, so the lawyers at M&V were a little… unusual. Lucy had already known that in advance. She'd done her research—and seen the news stories—so she'd been aware that Makarov Dreyar was extremely short and tended to conduct business sitting cross-legged on top of tables, podiums, bars, and—in one very famous case—the back of a client's expensive and extremely _explicit_ Greek statue of three lovers.

Mr. Makarov had argued that as the statue was a perfectly functional chair, and as there were no obscenity by-laws regarding lawn furniture, the City of Magnolia had no right to either fine his client or force him to remove the object from his front lawn. He'd lost the case, but it had made his law firm known to most of Fiore by the time it was over. On top of that, the client had reputedly been pleased that he and his statue had been on the news for the better part of two months. It had allegedly doubled the client's business, which Lucy preferred to not think about too hard.

Lucy had also been prepared for Erza Scarlet to be a gorgeous redhead who was not much older than she was. Ms. Scarlet was known equally for her uncompromising courtroom tactics and her custom-designed suits, which had a strange tendency toward colorful bows and thematic patterns that she claimed were related to her cases. Three years ago, journalist Jason Khol had commented that if Erza Scarlet ever showed up for court in a regular black or navy suit, he'd know for sure to leave immediately; the case would either be boring or leave people dead. He had also reported that the lawyer's one weakness was strawberry torte with real whipped cream. Looking across at the giant portrait of a piece of cake so deliciously realistic that Lucy's mouth immediately began to water, Lucy concluded that the information might have been more accurate that Jason's usual offerings.

She was called back to the present when Ms. Scarlet cleared her throat and thanked Lucy for coming to the interview. Lucy almost hugged her for saying something so _normal_.

"I'm very happy to be here," she began.

"Well, that's just it," interrupted Makarov. "You see, we've had our eyes on you for some time, but since we're all very much like family here, we had to make sure that you weren't just applying for a position in order to spy for your father."

Lucy froze in place. This was actually worse than she'd expected. She'd become more or less inured to being courted for her family's wealth and connections, but she'd never ceased to be hurt on the rare occasions that she'd been met with grim scorn or open hostility because of her family's "opportunistic" business practices.

"Oi, gramps!" Lucy blinked in surprise. It sounded like Natsu was—angry?—on her behalf. Sure enough, the pink-haired securities lawyer waded in with total disregard for rank or protocol. "You didn't have to put it like that! Besides, it's perfectly obvious that she's not here to spy for Old No-Heart Heartfilia!"

 _No-Heart Heartfilia. Yes, that's what they called him—the nebulous "they" being almost anyone from whom he'd ever wanted something._

Lucy looked up when a heavy arm dropped around her shoulders and squeezed. She automatically noticed the high-quality wool of the suit and the fine linen of the shirt cuff. She'd been raised to notice things like that in the same way that others noticed hair and eye colour. Still a little in shock at the unexpected—well, not _attack_ exactly, but close—she mused that she didn't like Natsu's cuff links and would have to choose him a new pair. _That_ thought brought her out of her daze. What was it with him that made her think things like that? He smells good, her nose suggested. She didn't recognize the soap, so it was probably an off-brand—something he'd picked up for himself—but there was a hint of pine and fresh wood smoke that was both very odd and somehow comforting.

"I have to agree with Pinky, _jiji_." To Lucy's surprise, that was Gray's cool, rather deep voice, and it sounded like he was on her side too. "Lucy lied like a champ for Natsu and—as we've heard—she barely knew him. Not just that, but I'm pretty sure she didn't know he was a partner, so I doubt she was looking to buy favours." Gray must have moved closer, because she heard him murmur _sotto voce_ : "Waste of time with Natsu anyway…"

Lucy looked up at Mr. Makarov, who seemed to be frowning at her. All at once she realized that Natsu was still hugging her. It was nice, but she preferred to stand on her own two feet, metaphorically speaking.

"Um, Natsu?"

"Natsu—personal space?" Erza's voice sounded slightly weary; no doubt they'd had this conversation before.

"Yeah, Natsu, she hasn't accepted your offer to let see your Type A Star Wars poster yet you know." Sure enough, Gray was right behind her.

"Gray—put your shirt back on."

"Oh—sure thing Erza."

Gray's presence disappeared from behind her and at the same time the warmth around her shoulders vanished. She felt surprisingly disappointed, but persevered.

"Mr. Makarov—Ms. Scarlet—is this still an interview for a job? Or am I here because you're angry with my father?"

"Hmmm, well, I wouldn't say I was ever angry with you, Ms. Heartfilia. It's just that your father has a way of hurting people when he doesn't get his own way, so I am… protective."

Lucy stood up, pleased to find that she was fully in control of herself and her voice again.

"There is _nobody_ who understands my father's nature better than I do," she said in a clipped voice. "Am I here for a job? Or a trial?"

Mr. Makarov smiled at her, and to Lucy's surprise, his smile had quite a bit of the same elusive, sunny charm as Natsu's.

"Actually, if Gray and Natsu hadn't jumped in so quickly, I would have explained that although we _were_ concerned about your motives for seeking employment here, we've already determined that you're just the kind of person we want here—and the right person to make sure that past history stays in the past."

"Oh." Lucy suddenly felt deflated. Then her normal good spirits—which had somehow survived her father's rule after her mother's death—started to bubble back to the surface." "Um, Mr. Makarov?"

"Yes?"

"Does this mean I'm hired?"

"If you want the position, it's yours."

Lucy nodded firmly. "Absolutely. I've dreamed of working here."

"Awesome!" That was Natsu, and he was grinning even more brightly than before.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail," said Gray, who still hadn't put his shirt back on. He offered Lucy a slight smile—the first she'd seen other than when he'd been laughing at Natsu.

"We're very happy to have you here," put in Erza. "Please, just call me Erza. If you have some time now, we can do up the proper contracts and so on."

"And discuss billable hours," muttered Natsu.

"Nonsense, she's a summer student," Erza told him sharply. " _You_ on the other hand…"

"Right—got it! And, uh, I've got to get going… are we done here? I mean, gramps has a beer out now and all…"

Sure enough, Mr. Makarov was drinking placidly from a giant beer stein. Where had _that_ come from?

"Fine. Go." Erza shook her head as Natsu rushed off. "That boy… brilliant, of course, but not focussed."

"He's young," murmured Erza's boss—to the extent that she had one. She started to nod in agreement, when Makarov added, "So are you, of course."

"Well then, time to wrap this up," said Gray. He was looking impatient, but was too polite to just leave.

Just then, Natsu stuck his head in the door.

"Lucy! I forgot! I'll walk you home okay? Also—don't let Gray convince you to try out for the hockey team and don't let Erza talk you into putting on a musical. See you in a couple of hours!"

The pink hair vanished as quickly as it had come.

"Musical?" Lucy asked, puzzled.

"Oh yes!" replied Erza, suddenly looking much less severe and considerably younger. "I happened to notice on your résumé that you've done some amateur theatricals, and…"

Lucy heard a snicker from Gray; he patted her on the shoulder on his way out, careful not to interrupt Erza's excited description of the potential for the first ever Fairy Tail musical operetta. Seated to Erza's right, on the conference table, Lucy saw Mr. Makarov smile into his beer.

* * *

 **II** — **Not Alone**

* * *

"So, how was your first day?"

Lucy looked sideways at Natsu, who looked cheerfully unrepentant about leaving work early. He'd told her that he'd probably go back later. Unless she wanted to see the poster today, of course. Lucy had declined, citing fatigue and a need to find a place to live in the city now that she could more or less afford to pay rent.

"Well, I didn't really do any work… I mean, I still have end of year exams to go before I can work full-time for the rest of the summer."

Natsu gave her a knowing look.

"I'll bet Erza talked you into the musical."

"True. But she agreed that it might be better to consider a play to start."

"Heh. She wants Gray to sing—he's a dork, but he's got a good voice. He's usually willing to go along with stuff, but he's put his foot down on the singing." Natsu paused, considering. "So far."

"I know exactly what you mean," Lucy told him with considerable feeling. "Erza's amazing, and she's been my idol for the last two years, but she's really… intense."

"Accurate," Natsu agreed. Despite the beautiful clothes, Lucy was starting to believe that he really wasn't much older than she was.

They walked along for a few more minutes, chatting and laughing with surprising ease, when Natsu stopped abruptly and looked toward a park about a half-block away.

"Come on," he said. "I've got to get Happy and Plue."

Bemused, and amazed that she was going along with him despite her skirt and heels—she'd ditched the stockings and not bothered with her spare pair—Lucy trailed along behind Natsu. When they reached the park, the white dog and blue-grey cat came trotting up. At Natsu's request, Lucy carefully squatted down in her tight skirt to pet the dog. He was an adorable little thing, with short, velvety fur and dark, expressive eyes.

"So his owner is away?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah… Well, kinda." Natsu shifted from foot-to-foot, his cat Happy in the crook of one arm. "Actually, they're not coming back. But I didn't want Plue to go to just anyone, so I took him in. The building doesn't allow dogs, but I'm planning to get my own place soon anyway, so I thought—why not?"

There was obviously some kind of story there—more old history?—but for some reason, Lucy didn't feel the need to find out about it the way she usually did. She liked the dog—more of a puppy, really—and for some reason, she liked the man. She smiled when it occurred to her that Natsu seemed like a bit of a puppy himself at times. Corporate law shark he might be, but she hadn't seen it so far. She might feel differently once they'd worked together for a while, of course.

A hand reached down, and Natsu helped her to her feet. He seemed a little abstracted, so Lucy gave him his space. Or tried to, anyway. He appeared to like walking close to her, and—again, she wasn't sure why—it didn't bother her.

"How about I give you a hand with finding an apartment?" Natsu asked, after several minutes of silence.

Lucy stopped, since they were about to head down into the subway station, and it would be next-to-impossible to chat down there, given the noise and people. She was surprised by the offer—but not really.

"You don't mind?" She hesitated, and then said bluntly, "The thing is that I'm going to have to do a fair bit of looking. It's got to be nice enough to be comfortable, but not too expensive—although I've got some money saved up, which will help. But the big thing is that my dad's going to be really upset. So I need to look without him knowing."

Natsu nodded, obviously thinking. "So you're running away then?"

"Pretty much. But I've still got a year of school to go so… I don't know exactly how it will work out."

Her companion studied her face and then smiled reassuringly. "We'll make it happen—no problem! You're not on your own now, you know?"

An odd lump rose in Lucy's throat, and she hastily blinked away tears.

"Yeah. Thanks, Natsu."

"There is one thing, though."

"What?" Lucy could feel her original wariness return.

"I really hate subways. Worse than anything." He looked embarrassed and ran a hand through his pink hair.

"Oh. I see the problem." Lucy pulled herself out of her unproductive thoughts. She smiled at Natsu. "I think I can make it home from here on my own, to be honest. Besides, Erza will be happier with you if you head back to work, won't she?"

"Yeah… After I drop off these two, anyway." He seemed a little disappointed, and Lucy hoped it was because he was sorry she had to go. "Well, maybe you can come by on the weekend? Hang out with me and these guys?" His head indicated the cat and the dog.

Lucy didn't know what to say. She wanted to say yes, but it was ridiculous to trust a guy that she barely knew.

"Aren't you going to be working?" she temporized.

"Probably not; there's nothing big in the works for a couple more weeks. Actually, that's the thing—I don't always have a ton of free time, but this weekend's good. That's how it goes in my practice area—you're either working flat out or not too much. I don't mind it. But I want to help you find a place, so…"

"Well, okay then." Lucy gave in and decided to go for it. She couldn't tell if the guy was just being nice—very nice—or whether he was asking her out in a very, very circuitous way. It was impossible to tell. At the very least, he seemed to want to spend time with her. She definitely wanted to spend time with him, although she couldn't quite explain why. She definitely felt less alone than she had in years.

Natsu was frowning again, but he grinned at her response. "Great! Okay, let's exchange numbers"—they each pulled out their communications lacrima—"and we'll aim for early Saturday afternoon. Good?"

"Works for me."

"Also, if you ever just want to come over and study, I can probably help. Gray's not too shabby either, though I wouldn't tell _him_ that."

"Such fulsome praise!"

"I know, right?" Another blinding grin.

"See you on Saturday, Natsu!"

"Bye Lucy! Don't trip in the turnstile this time!"

Lucy opened her mouth to protest—it was Happy and Plue that had tripped her up—but Natsu was already jogging away. She suspected he was laughing.

* * *

 **[END]**

* * *

 **A/Note:** So, this chapter ended up three times longer than planned—mind you, I'm using the term "planned" in a very general kind of way.  
I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'll probably do one more to wrap up Fluff Week. The story needs at least a kiss and definitely some cuddle time... but what do I know?

As always, your reviews and comments are very much appreciated! You'd be surprised how encouraging it is to know that people look forward to reading your work. :)


	3. Lawful Trespass

**Author's Note:**

This is the final chapter for **Within the Law**. This chapter is packed with flirtation, love, lust, raw emotion and thwarted need. Also, legal terms.

Hope it's fun!

~ _Impracticaldemon_

* * *

 **Lawful Trespass**  
 **Prompts: Texting; Fairy Tales** (at least in concept if not final design)

* * *

Lucy's interview with Makarov & Vermilion—the law firm also known as Fairy Tail—had been on the Wednesday. When she'd gotten home that evening, she'd had no difficulty avoiding questions, since her father was at work, as usual, and the servants were all very much on her side and knew where she'd been. Not that they had a huge staff, but even four people seemed like an awful lot for a family of two adults and no small children.

That night, after eating a solitary dinner while trying to catch up on some reading for class, Lucy couldn't seem to focus on anything. The people at Fairy Tail had fully caught her attention, and they were far more interesting than what she was studying. She finally left her Trusts text book open at "constructive trusts"—the case law seemed to be all over the map, as the courts had gotten especially _creative_ with this one—and threw herself down on her bed to stare at her comms lacrima.

 _You were speaking with him four hours ago. What on earth is wrong with you?_

It was strange—she felt like she was fourteen crushing on a guy two grades up, not a competent young woman of twenty-three with one university degree already behind her. Her eyes traced a familiar pattern above her. When she was much younger, she and her mother had painted the stars making up the constellations of the Zodiac on her ceiling in phosphorescent paint. Lucy couldn't actually make out much right now, since she had lights on, but it didn't matter—she knew them all by heart.

The lacrima in her hands chimed, indicating a text message. Her eyes went wide when she saw the sender: Grand Moff Dragneel. She snickered at the name, but her stomach did an odd kind of squeeze-hop.

)Hey there!  
)Did you make it home okay?  
)So are you there or what?

Lucy scrambled to sit up and send back a quick affirmative.

)Great! Look there's something I've got to tell you.  
)Erza and Gray both reminded me.  
Forgot you didn't know. Anyway I'm here now can I come in?

Lucy stared at the last few words.

)Lucy? Back window seemed best.

She ran to one of her two bedroom windows and looked out—and down. Now-familiar cotton-candy hair looked almost white in the intermittent light of the moon. Natsu raised an arm and waved. Lucy unbolted and opened the window. Then she shook her head and raised her lacrima in order to send another text.

)Natsu what are—

She never got to send her text. Somehow—she had no idea how—Natsu quickly scrambled up the fieldstone exterior of the house and swung himself in the window. He grinned at her as though guys climbed thirty-foot walls like that all the time.

"Hey cool—nice room!"

Lucy backed away slowly, lacrima clutched tightly in one hand.

"Natsu. What the _hell_?"

Something in the way she said his name got through to him. He stopped moving and stood awkwardly just inside the window. Lucy examined him closely, but there was nothing especially weird about him. Cargo pants hugged his hips and then fell loosely to meet black canvas sandals—and how on earth had he climbed in those? His tight navy t-shirt outlined a muscular chest and showed off a flat, well-defined stomach and strong arms. _I should be freaking out right now, not… staring wistfully._

Natsu scrubbed the back of his head. "Right, right, sorry. Yeah, um… okay. This isn't usually my thing, you know?"

"Which part?" Lucy asked dryly. "The vertical ascent—and possible unlawful entry—or something else?"

Her guest (or possible trespasser), laughed. "Hey yeah, I guess I should've asked if I could come in, huh?" He looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, it's nice to meet somebody who knows the difference between unlawful trespass and break-and-enter. People watch way too many American cop shows."

"Technically, you could be charged with home invasion," Lucy replied, "since you knew I was here."

"Maybe," Natsu conceded, "but you'd have a hell of a time showing that I entered with any intention to commit an indictable offence—"

"We still haven't even established _whether_ you broke in, let alone your reason for breaking in. I mean, I opened the window voluntarily when you announced your presence. Though I'd argue that I didn't expect you to be able to scale the wall, so it's not the same as opening a door."

"But—no, never mind. Anyway, isn't the whole home invasion thing more of a factor in sentencing—like, it aggravates the crime?"

Lucy considered briefly, but her knowledge of criminal law was starting to fail her. Still, her memory was exceptional, and they'd covered the topic at some length at the end of first year. Murder might be more exciting, but a future client was a lot more likely to be charged with assault, or break-and-enter.

"I think you're right. But you may still be unlawfully in a dwelling-house."

"Still requires intent to commit an offence."

"Presumption of intention of commit an offence goes along with the break and enter …or just being there unlawfully."

"Rebuttable."

"Oh for crying out loud, Natsu!"

"Oh?" The pink-haired man took a step further into the room and put his hands on his hips. "Does this mean that you're conceding the case, counsel?"

"Give me a break! First—no. Second—what case? Third—you specialize in corporate law, which we both know isn't nearly as exciting as it sounds! You're an expert on voting rights for minor shareholders, not some kind of, of _pink-haired Perry Mason_! When is the last time you even opened the Criminal Code?"

"In reverse order, Ms. Heartfilia," purred Natsu, eyes gleaming, "just last week; _don't_ mock Perry Mason—even if he's at least fifty years out of date, fictional, and American; so what?; your case against me for breaking and entering (or maybe unlawful trespass with intent); and finally, where's your proof beyond a reasonable doubt?"

Lucy stamped her foot, torn between annoyance and growing amusement. " _What_ case?!" Then she added quickly—because she was a sucker for a debate—"But just to make it clear: please leave immediately. Ha! Now, if you stay, you will _clearly_ be unlawfully within this dwelling, since you have no right to be here. And _that_ means that you are now _presumed_ to be here with intent to commit an offence."

"Aw, Lucy, no fair!" Natsu hopped up onto the window sill. "It was just getting fun. Do you really want me to leave?"

Lucy shook her head, set down her lacrima, and gestured him back inside. _Was that some kind of weird flirting or something? Because… it was fun and just very slightly sexy, which makes no sense._ She pulled her desk chair around and sat down. "I'm still confused, so don't get too much closer unless I tell you it's okay. Why _are_ you so up on basic criminal law anyway?"

Natsu looked slightly sheepish, but snagged a handsome leather _pouffe_ and perched on top of it like a very unusual Little Miss Muffett (though not one who would be afraid of spiders, and minus the curds and whey). "I'd rather not go into that right now," he said loftily.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Is this the part where I say 'Curiouser and curiouser?'"

"Um, give me a minute." Natsu frowned slightly.

"You know Perry Mason but not Alice in Wonderland?!"

"I was getting there!"

"So you and Gray are both into old-time detectives and mysteries? I mean— _Poirot_? Isn't that what you called Gray earlier? How many people know Agatha Christie these days?"

"The shows were pretty popular for a while," muttered Natsu. "Besides, it's obvious that you know them too."

Lucy sighed. "I read… a lot." She wanted to ask, _What's your excuse? Hot young lawyers don't sit at home reading the classics—do they?_

Natsu had obviously lost track of the conversation. He was staring at a display case. "Wow… is that a—"

"Yes."

"Signed?"

"The card is. By George Lucas and Mark Hamill."

"You have an original, _signed_ light-saber? I thought that was impossible!"

Lucy shifted uncomfortably. Her father was very, very wealthy. It had been an amazing gift, and she did treasure it—but she'd wanted something from Carrie Fischer. Princess Leia had been her idol, even though the original Star Wars movies had first aired long before Lucy was born. However, she was pretty sure that her father had delegated the purchase of a suitable eighteenth birthday present to one of his staff. She couldn't blame whoever it was for not knowing her very well, given their boss' temper when it came to "fraternizing" with his daughter. Besides, it _was_ a light saber. Her father probably would have chosen jewelry.

"Just lucky I guess," she temporized.

Natsu started to look around the room with more interest than he had before. When he started skimming her book titles, she cleared her throat.

"Natsu—did you really come here to discuss Star Wars?"

"I _would have_ if I'd known!"

"… Really not the point."

"Oh right." He turned and gave her a serious look. "Um, this is going to sound weird, okay? But Erza—"

"—and Gray—" murmured Lucy, remembering his original texts.

"—thought you might wonder."

This was getting annoying. "Natsu, spit it out. Is the firm a front for drug smuggling? Money laundering? Arms peddling? Cheating the tax system—well, any more than most?"

Natsu's eyes grew wider and rounder with each preposterous solution. "No! Of course not! And my clients know that although I set up, um, tax- _efficient_ corporate structures, I'll never get them into tax avoidance problems, let alone tax _evasion_!" He paused, considering, and Lucy waited, her earlier annoyance having faded into a strong desire to giggle.

"The thing is," her odd visitor said slowly, "our clients find out pretty fast what we will and won't do. We're not afraid of a challenge, but if we think a client is screwing around with the law, then they become an ex-client pretty fast. Especially if they just want our firm's name on a few deals to make them look more like upstanding citizens. Anyway, not many people can stand up to Erza when she's mad." Natsu's grin suddenly returned. "She's had to deal with some pretty strange characters, but somehow we always keep our retainer, even when we cut them loose."

Lucy was intrigued. "You mean that when the drug dealers try to get M&V to set up a structure for their money laundering—or even for a legit deal just to get some credibility—you somehow find out who they are and send them packing? _And_ keep the initial fee?"

"Well sure. Gray's gotta be good for something, even if he is a seriously nerdy guy."

"Says the man with a 'Type A' original release Star Wars poster," Lucy teased.

Natsu turned slightly pink, but laughed. "Well yeah, but Star Wars is cool, right? Gray's into computers and gaming and stuff."

"I've been known to play video games," Lucy told him haughtily.

"Okay, but I'll bet _you_ play stuff like MarioKart and maybe some Legend of Zelda—you seem like you'd be into Link, somehow."

Lucy reddened. "What do you mean, 'into'? Yes, I like MarioKart and yes I like Legend of Zelda—so what? They're good games. I used to play a lot of the Fire Emblem stuff too, for that matter. I haven't actually played much of anything lately though because of my—" Lucy stopped short. She'd almost told Natsu about her book. _What was it about this guy?_ "...Because of my courses."

Natsu had been nodding affably. There he was, sitting cross-legged on something that looked like somebody had turned a Jigglypuff into a soft, round footstool—an awful thought, but then again, at least Natsu matched!—and, and… Lucy cursed her brain. Normally she could be calm and logical when presented with strange situations. But an attractive guy with pink hair sitting on her favourite pink _pouffe_ and talking law with her—apparently she had an unknown weakness. When was the last time she'd wanted to kiss somebody?

"The point is," her weakness said at that moment, since she'd stopped talking, "that _you_ like Nintendo. See? I had you pegged for a Nintendo girl."

"Ugh. It's dumb to generalize like that."

"Okay, fine, but hear me out. I'm not saying that Gray doesn't play Nintendo, because he does—there isn't much he doesn't play, because he's a competitive bastard."

"Whereas _you_ would never play any of _his_ favourite games just so you could beat him," Lucy slid in smoothly.

"Right—what?" Natsu looked completely taken aback, and then shook his head at her. "That was—"

"Slick? Accurate? A brilliant character analysis?"

"Stop i!" Natsu put his hands over his ears and pretended to pout. It didn't last long. "Fine, okay? Maybe. But—"

"Look, are you _ever_ going to tell me what Erza said to tell me? Because, you know, school tomorrow and… stuff."

"My point is that Gray plays those online multiplayer games where you pick some dorky fantasy or sci-fi guy and go beat on people. I mean, that's _geeky_ , am I right?"

Lucy crossed over to Natsu and sat down in front of him. She was going to pretend that she'd done it on purpose to scold him, but the truth was that it had been half-unconscious.

"Natsu," she said, looking up into his green-grey eyes with a serious expression. "Look me in the face and tell me that you don't play Overwatch. Tell me that you have never spent hours figuring out exactly how to beat whatever character Gray likes best." She leaned closer to him and raised her eyebrows. "Well? On your honour as somebody who has collected all of the key Star Wars miniatures and probably has the AT-AT sitting in his living room on an end table instead a bowl of fruit."

There was a noticeable flush of red high on Natsu's cheekbones.

"Wow," he said, "you're _good_. And of _course_ I can beat Gray at his dumb online games—sometimes, anyway. Maybe not at League of Legends unless I'm lucky and he has a lousy team. But did you see how much money those guys make these days?"

"Yeah, even my father's taken an interest—strictly from the perspective of exploiting the heck out of it of course. But now I want to know _two_ things. One, _what are you here to tell me_?!" Natsu winced, and Lucy realized she'd spoken rather loudly. "And two, when do you guys ever, you know, _work?_ "

"Oh it all sorts itself out," said Natsu airily. "Besides Gray had to agree to a percent—" he stopped abruptly.

"A percentage? Of what?"

Natsu waved his hands a little frantically, "Um, I wasn't supposed to mention that. So, about why I came?"

"A percentage? Come on Natsu… I'll die of curiosity… He looks so serious but it turns out he has a stripping habit and can play League like a pro—wait, that's not it is it? And is the Law Society okay with it?"

Lucy felt Natsu's warm hands on either cheek, and he lowered his face toward hers. She almost forgot to breathe. _Why am I okay with this?_

"You're really amazing Lucy. I've known it for a while now."

"For… a while?"

"Yeah. For example," the green-grey eyes flickered to her desk. "I know that you write late into the night, after you put your law books away. I know that you're always kind to people, even when you're having a bad day. I know that you forgive people, even when they hurt you."

Lucy pulled away from Natsu hands. She felt a combination of angry and afraid and… very confused.

"Natsu, what the hell? And it had better be good, because you're freaking me out and I'm seriously contemplating calling the police."

"Right, right… I'm sorry! I have personal space issues, according to Erza."

"Some people call it stalking, Natsu."

"No, no! Nothing like that! Honest! Argh - wait!"

He seemed genuinely upset, so Lucy stayed where she was.

"Make it good. Don't mention Star Wars, books, or games …or Gray, unless he's the one who told you to spy on me."

"No, that was gramps."

"The senior partner of M&V—Makarov Dreyar? He got you to spy on me?"

"Yeah. Well, he did say we'd been keeping an eye on you, right? See, supposedly your mum used to be pretty involved with the firm and its founding members—like, a protégée of Makarov's, you know?"

"No… I didn't know." _Another thing her father hadn't told her?_

"Oh. Okay then. Well, she gave it all up to marry your dad. According to gramps, they really might have, you know, loved each other, but it really wasn't a great fit. Unfortunately, their families were all for it, especially his. I think there must have been something funny about the whole set-up, but gramps won't talk about it. All I know is that he had Gray keep an eye on the Heartfilia companies—well, once Gray knew how. I mean, not even the Ice Princess was born knowing how to dig up the goods on a multinational organization that has limited partnerships holding shell companies holding blind trusts."

"I take it he's good at it now?" Lucy asked the question just to be polite. She disliked talking about her family, especially her parents. She was feeling… sad.

"Yeah. I'm no slouch either, of course. Took both of us—and some, um, _judicious pressure_ by Erza on the right people—to get a good picture of things."

"And is any of that relevant right now?"

"Well, yeah… because, um, Fairy Tail has kind of an _unusual_ structure."

"Uh-huh."

"We're all partners."

"Wait—seriously?! That just can't be financially viable! And why doesn't anybody know that? And what about the Law Society?"

Natsu shrugged, and Lucy could tell that he was honestly disinterested in what the Law Society thought. "Basically, profit is _a_ factor for us, but it's not the main one. Whether a firm has all partners, or partners and associates is just a question of business model and profit-sharing, right? Thing is, when Makarov told you that we're like family, it was true. That's how it is. Some people work harder than others and earn more—that's no different from a regular firm that has the partners vote on bonuses, right? Some people are allowed more of the profits than others because of seniority, or special duties… Anyway, people don't leave too often."

Lucy was silent, still trying to get her head around a large firm with all partners and no associates. _You'd really have to trust your partners_ , she decided.

"But my mother left?" she prodded at last, when Natsu didn't continue.

"Yeah, and that's the thing. She still had her share in the partnership when she left."

"But… there must have been a buy-out clause?" Lucy asked, puzzled.

Natsu shrugged again. "I think there was. I think they all hoped your mother would come back, or work part-time, or something. It's all a little weird."

 _You're all a little weird,_ Lucy thought.

"Is it resolved now?"

"I don't know. Maybe. But if you join us then gramps thinks we're vulnerable to your father's manipulation again. At the same time, he loves the idea."

"Why?"

Natsu gave her a strange look. "Because you're Layla Heartfilia's daughter dummy! I mean, didn't I just finish telling you about the whole 'family' thing?"

He had indeed. Lucy let her head drop softly against Natsu's knee. He was probably startled, but—just as she'd expected—a warm hand came down on her head to stroke her hair.

"So you came to tell me all this? They couldn't have told me all this sooner? And… that means you were lying earlier about not knowing who I was."

"Uh, well… kind of? I never said that I _didn't_ know you. Anyway, gramps didn't want to get into it while you were still learning the ropes, you know. But there's a slight problem now."

"What's that?"

Natsu sat in silence for a while and Lucy was too comfortable—or had too much to think about—to move. Finally, Natsu gently tipped up her chin. His eyes were almost entirely grey now, and had lost their cheerful good humour.

"I kind of… like you." The blush on his cheeks darkened. "Um, a lot. You might have noticed."

 _I've only known him for about five hours_ , Lucy thought frantically to herself. _What am I supposed to do now?_

Natsu cleared his throat. "I totally understand that you can't feel the same way after, well, not very long, anyway. Plus…"

Lucy found her voice again. "Plus I'm pretty sure that a partner dating a summer student is frowned on by the Law Society."

"Probably—those guys don't like _anything_." Lucy saw him scowl and suspected that Natsu and the Law Society weren't always on the best of terms. "We totally have to watch our steps. But that's not the point. The point is that gramps and Erza are worried about it. We do have to follow the Law Society rule about not admitting you as a partner until you're qualified as a lawyer. And until you're a partner, you're an employee. And right now you're going to be mostly _my_ employee."

"And you're telling me all this now?!"

Natsu looked away and scrubbed at his hair. "I, uh, didn't exactly tell them how I felt. They just figured it out."

"Especially after you said you'd be helping me find a place to live?" Despite being both flushed and flustered, Lucy was beginning to see the funny side of the situation. "Oh Natsu… You told them not to worry about me because we were getting together on the weekend to look at places, didn't you?"

"Well of course! They just took it wrong!" He frowned at floor. "Stupid Gray was laughing at me. But honestly—I didn't mean it to sound funny!"

"You just wanted to be friendly."

There was a long silence.

"I wasn't going to try anything, Luce, honest!"

"Luce?"

"It suits you."

Lucy pursed her lips, her analytical brain ticking over and fighting a losing battle with her heart and strangely overactive hormones. At length she said: "So, the burning question right now is whether I might like you back? And either way, am I willing to risk taking a job working for a firm in which you are a partner? Especially when both the senior partner and the managing partner are ambivalent about the situation…"

"They're not! They think it's hilarious—well, gramps does and Erza kept muttering 'how cute! how cute!' and then threatening to kill me if I hurt you."

"I still think it may be against the Code of Conduct somewhere," frowned Lucy.

" _And_ … she's back to the Law Society!" Natsu looked frustrated now.

Lucy took a deep breath and put her hands on Natsu's face. His eyes—now mostly green—went very wide. "To hell with the Law Society!" With a strange, half-drunk feeling, Lucy closed her eyes and brought Natsu's lips against hers. It didn't surprise her at all to find them very warm and very sexy—just like the rest of him.

Natsu relaxed slowly against her, and his lips parted slightly, returning her kiss. Lucy moved her hands from his cheeks to his shoulders. Careful not to break the kiss, Natsu slid off his seat onto the floor so that he could wrap his arms around her. She could feel his solid chest against her breasts now, and his blunt-fingered hands on her back and in her hair. She couldn't believe what she was doing, but for once she told her cautious self to shut the fuck up.

Time passed, and the kiss deepened. They got better at it as they went along, until the first gentle pressure of lips was something entirely different and much more exciting. Lucy felt as though all the nerves in her skin had come alive at once. Somehow she'd ended up in Natsu's lap, and she was very good with that.

"Is this… okay?" Natsu mumbled at length, when they paused to breathe. He leaned his forehead against hers. "I hope it's okay."

"Me too," Lucy said vaguely. "It's all your fault for talking law to me."

"Torts."

"Not just for dessert anymore!" Lucy giggled at the old, old joke.

" _Mens rea_."

"I think so."

"What?"

"I think I understood and intended to commit the _actus reus_."

"So you are fully guilty of kissing me." Natsu tugged lightly on a lock of soft golden hair. "I don't think that's a crime though."

"I just figured that you couldn't take advantage of me if I took advantage of you first."

"What if I only want you for your lightsaber?"

"That's my line."

Natsu blushed. Lucy figured she'd been red from the start, so it was only fair. She took the opportunity to ask a question.

"So… did Gray really win millions by moonlighting in an online computer game tournament?"

Natsu eyed her warily. "Maybe. Why?"

"You're right, that's pretty geeky—or is it nerdy?" Lucy smiled at Natsu, for no other reason than that she was happy.

"I was on his team," Natsu muttered.

"Sorry? You'll have to speak up—I missed what you said over the sound of me laughing at you."

"Nintendo baby."

"Try me at MarioKart, Pepto B."

"Hey! What?! No—Luce!"

"Seriously though, when do you guys _sleep_?"

"When we can. Well, I do. As for Gray, well… _the ice never rests_ …"

"So he does play hockey?"

"Of course. Fortunately, we figure that he was replaced with a robot years ago, so he doesn't pass out from exhaustion as crucial moments."

"So you don't play hockey?"

Natsu looked embarrassed. "They kicked me off the team partway through the first season, two years ago."

"Should I sue for wrongful dismissal?"

"Um… no. There may have been some—slight—cause." Natsu silenced her next question with a kiss. This time one hand slid under the back of Lucy's shirt to caress the soft skin of her back and waist, and there was no further conversation for quite a while.

They parted, very reluctantly, at midnight.

"You're a failure as a study partner," noted Lucy, examining various hickeys with a combination of embarrassment and satisfaction. "I still don't understand constructive trusts properly."

"Nobody does," Natsu assured her. "But if you're worried, gramps could talk to Prof Porly about it?"

"Prof… Porly?"

"Well, apparently she and Makarov go way back."

"I'll pass on the intervention. I'll bet Gray understands constructive trusts."

Natsu gave her a severe look. "You really know how to hurt a guy, don't you?"

Lucy sighed. "Sorry, Natsu. But… I've been trying to make a difficult decision…"

Natsu could sense that she was serious, and took her hand. "Tell me."

"I'm going to turn down M&V's offer."

"What?! No—Lucy, you belong with us!"

"Natsu." Lucy leaned up to kiss him quickly on the cheek. "It's just for the summer. I can find something else. Maybe work for one of the profs instead of at a firm."

"Because of me?"

"Because of us."

All pretence of joking had already dropped from Natsu's face, but now he looked especially unhappy. "I wish you wouldn't do this, Lucy. And it's not… it's not _necessary_."

"It is for me."

Natsu studied her. Two years of keeping an eye on her had given him insight into her moods. He'd classify this one as "smiling but stubborn".

"I feel like a total jerk. If I hadn't said anything… we could've at least been friends, you know? And you could've worked at Fairy Tail with a clear conscience."

"Until I ripped your shirt off…"

"Would you?"

Lucy laughed. "You look so hopeful!" Then she shrugged uncomfortably. "Which kind of proves my point. I just… can't have both, Natsu. Please don't make it harder."

Natsu looked down. After a short time, he nodded. "I understand. I'm sorry I messed things up for you."

"How? By existing and being the person that—gods know why—I want to be with?"

"Oi! That wasn't exactly flattering!"

"Your self-confidence can take it."

"Okay, Luce. So… you'll go out with me, then?"

"Yes."

"And you'll join the firm as soon as you're qualified?"

"As long as Erza and Mr. Makarov still want me, yes."

There was a longish interval that didn't involve words.

"Goodnight, Natsu."

"Night, Luce!" He swung himself onto the window ledge.

"Wait—Natsu!" When he paused, Lucy asked the one question she'd forgotten earlier. "How did you make it up here—and in sandals—and how are you going to manage a thirty-foot drop?"

Natsu smiled a little. "You'll find out when you join Fairy Tail, Lucy Heartfilia. Until then, well—you're the one who said she could be patient."

He was gone on the final word, and there was no terrible crunch of broken flesh and bones.

 _We'll see, Natsu Dragneel. I'll bet I figure it out before then. I've done a_ lot _of reading about Fairy Tail. And at least one place mentioned "magic". Maybe it wasn't such a cracked theory after all._

Smiling to herself in a way that she hadn't in years, Lucy got ready for bed.

* * *

 **[END]**

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 **A/Note:** I hope you've enjoyed this quirky little brain-child of mine. All comments and reviews are **very much** appreciated, and thank you for all your support through likes, kudos, follows and faves!

 _~Impracticaldemon_


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